“’Where should we put the potato?’ ‘Brown!’ ‘Where should we put the juice box?’ ‘Yellow!’ This was a scene of a classroom in Aurinkolahti Comprehensive School in Helsinki, where the first grade pupils were having an environmental knowledge lesson on the ABC of garbage sorting. During the lesson, there were 15 pupils sitting in circle on the floor and watching the teacher who continuously took things out of a plastic bag: glass bottles and jars, empty juice boxes, used batteries and a potato as well…”

“Returning bottles to retailers and receiving the deposits in return is an environmental friendly practice in Finland. Although the children may not be very clear why they should sort and separately recycle waste, the idea of ‘green lifestyle’ has been with them in their daily lives since childhood.

Anu Kaila, the teacher who gave the lesson that day, is an environmental educational teacher from Helsinki Metropolitan Area Reuse Centre. She said that environmental education for children had undoubtedly significant importance as it helps children to learn how to cherish the present living environment would certainly have far-reaching impact on their future lives. The Environmental School of Helsinki Metropolitan Area Reuse Centre offers training and education to schools and people of all ages. Last year it offered 1,300 hours of lessons to some 25,000 participants, with most of them being students.”

CHINAVIEW 14 November.